U.S. patent number 4,108,427 [Application Number 05/809,861] was granted by the patent office on 1978-08-22 for feeding device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Canon Kabushiki Kaisha. Invention is credited to Hiroyuki Hattori, Tsuneki Inuzuka, Shigehiro Komori, Koichi Miyamoto.
United States Patent |
4,108,427 |
Komori , et al. |
August 22, 1978 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Feeding device
Abstract
A feeding device comprises a plurality of cassettes capable of
supporting thereon copy mediums, a cassette cradle for holding the
cassettes in an operatively associated relationship with one
another, feed means for feeding the copy mediums, control means for
controlling the feed means to intermittently feed the copy mediums,
and means for selectively displacing the cassette cradle to at
least two positions to selectively locate at least one of the
cassettes at a position where it may be acted on by the feed means,
whereby copy mediums may be fed from one of the cassettes.
Inventors: |
Komori; Shigehiro (Yokohama,
JP), Hattori; Hiroyuki (Tokyo, JP),
Inuzuka; Tsuneki (Machida, JP), Miyamoto; Koichi
(Tokyo, JP) |
Assignee: |
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo,
JP)
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Family
ID: |
27292920 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/809,861 |
Filed: |
June 24, 1977 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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677124 |
Apr 15, 1976 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Apr 18, 1975 [JP] |
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50-47250 |
May 6, 1975 [JP] |
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50-55076 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
271/9.09;
221/130; 221/34; 271/111; 271/118; 271/162; 271/9.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H
1/00 (20130101); B65H 3/44 (20130101); G03G
15/6502 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65H
1/00 (20060101); B65H 3/44 (20060101); G03G
15/00 (20060101); B65H 001/28 (); B65H
003/44 () |
Field of
Search: |
;271/9,111,117,118,160,162,170,157,158,159 ;355/3R ;221/34,130 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
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3599966 |
August 1971 |
Del Vecchio et al. |
3698706 |
October 1972 |
Mihojevich et al. |
3868044 |
February 1975 |
Abe et al. |
3919972 |
November 1975 |
Komori et al. |
3936042 |
February 1976 |
Smith et al. |
|
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Stoner, Jr.; Bruce H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper &
Scinto
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 677,124 filed Apr.
15, 1976, now abandoned.
Claims
We claim:
1. A copy material feeding device, comprising:
a cassette unit provided with a plurality of cassettes each having
a copy material feeding portion which is disposed out of vertical
alignment with another cassette, wherein said cassettes are mounted
on said cassette unit such that the relative distances between the
feeding portions of said cassettes are constant at all times;
single feeding means for feeding copy material in a predetermined
direction of movement from the feeding portion of a cassette
positioned adjacent thereto; and
means for moving said cassette unit in the direction of movement of
the copy material to position a selected one of said cassettes with
its feeding portion adjacent to said feeding means without moving
any of said cassettes relative to said cassette unit.
2. A copy material feeding device according to claim 1, further
comprising an additional cassette unit provided with a plurality of
cassettes each having a copy material feeding portion which is
disposed out of vertical alignment with another cassette, means for
integrally supporting said cassette unit and said additional
cassette unit and an additional feeding means for said additional
cassette unit.
3. A copy material feeding device according to claim 1, further
comprising means for each cassette for covering the feeding portion
of the associated cassette when said cassette is spaced from said
feeding means in order to prevent the copy material within said
cassette from being exposed to atmosphere.
4. A copy material feeding device according to claim 1, wherein one
of said cassettes is constructed for permitting an operator
manually to insert therein copy material which is not normally
contained in the cassette.
5. A copy material feeding device according to claim 1, wherein
each of said cassettes is detachably mountable to said cassette
unit.
6. A copy material feeding device according to claim 1, wherein
each of said mounted cassettes is slanted relative to a horizontal
plane.
7. A copy material feeding device according to claim 1, further
comprising means for displacing said cassette unit in accordance
with an instruction signal.
8. A copy material feeding device according to claim 1, further
comprising means for actuating said feeding means in accordance
with a signal selecting an individual cassette and a signal
representing the presence of copy material within the selected
cassette.
9. A copy material feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the
path of movement of said cassette unit defines a vertical plane.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a copy medium feeding device in a copying
machine or the like which may be loaded with a plurality of types
of copy mediums at a time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, in the field of copying machines or the like, there has
arisen a need to enable copy mediums of different sizes, colors and
qualities to be properly used to enhance the efficiency of office
work. With the conventional copying machines or the like, however,
it has usually been the case that a single feeding table (on which
the copy mediums to be fed are placed) and the feeding device of
this type has been very inefficient in that when copy mediums of
different sizes, colors and qualities are used, these copy mediums
on the feeding table must be newly set each time.
The cassette type feeding system has been proposed to enable quick
interchange between different copy mediums. According to this
system, various types of copy mediums are respectively contained in
exclusive cassettes (which are box-shaped containers formed with a
port for setting or feeding copy mediums therethrough) and such
cassettes may be loaded on the copy medium feeding station of the
copying machine or the like, as required. This system eliminates
the trouble to newly set the copy mediums each time copy medium
interchange is effected, but it still involves the need to remove
the presently loaded cassette and replace it by another desired
cassette. In addition, such system requires the space available for
unused cassettes and involves the necessity of cassette loading,
which in turn requires the user to be cautious in handling the
cassettes. Thus, this system is still left to be improved in many
points.
In an effort to eliminate these inconveniences, the double cassette
system has been put into practice which always permits two
cassettes to be mounted on the copying machine or the like.
According to this system, two different types of copy mediums to be
used are respectively contained in two cassettes in advance, and
these two cassettes are loaded onto the copying machine or the
like. Thus, the copy mediums may be selectively fed through a
single operation such as depression of a change-over button on the
operating panel of the copying machine or the like.
However, as the customer's requirement has become more and more
sophisticated, there has arisen a need for copying machines or the
like which will permit three or four different types of copy
mediums to be selectively used, namely, which will permit the use,
in combination, of not only two different sizes of copy mediums but
also one or more different qualities of copy mediums (for example,
tracing paper used as the stencil paper for diazo copies).
It would be possible to adapt the construction of the double
cassette system for use in such a case by increasing the number of
the cassettes, but this would still encounter some disadvantages in
practice as will hereinafter be discussed.
Generally, the cassette type feeding device is divided into a
cassette section and a feeding section, and this feeding section
comprises feed means for feeding copy mediums, guide means for
guiding the copy mediums to a subsequent step of process, control
means for intermittently causing the feed means to act on the copy
mediums, etc. Thus, the conventional double cassette system may
generally be grouped into the following two types of
construction.
(1) Feed Operation Selection Type
Distinct cassettes are loaded onto two independent feeding sections
and the feed means may act on a selected one of the feeding
sections to feed selected copy mediums from that cassette. This has
widely been put into practice.
(2) Cassette Position Change-over Type
Two cassettes are disposed in a single feeding section and at the
positions where the cassettes may be changed over. Each cassette
may be displaced to assume the same relative position with respect
to the same feed means, thereby feeding copy mediums. This has not
widely been put into practice.
In the feed operation selection type which has two independent feed
means provided in two steps, the change-over between the two feed
means may be accomplished by electrical control and if required at
all, by a very simple change-over mechanism, but this type requires
a space substantially double that of a single feed means, the ratio
of the distances being 2:1 as will be seen in FIG. 1 of the
accompanying drawings.
Thus, provision of three or four feed means for a single machine
would mean the necessity of increasing the space to three or four
times and this is structurally undesirable. If unreasonable efforts
were made to reduce the space by extremely reducing the number of
copy mediums to be contained per cassette (usually, at least about
250 sheets is necessary), there would still remain the problem that
the guide means for guiding the copy mediums to the subsequent step
of process would become complicated and thus, it would almost
impossible to realize a desk-top type copying machine (usually with
a height of 40 cm or less).
On the other hand, the cassette position change-over type, as shown
in FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings, would be advantageous in
respect of the required space inasmuch as the space would only be
increased at a rate of approximately 40 to 50% of one feed means
even if the number of the cassettes were increased. However,
because of the need to displace the cassettes, the change-over of
the cassettes would involve the necessity for a change-over
mechanism in addition to the electrical control.
Therefore, displacing three or four cassettes to their respective
predetermined positions and fixing them thereat would require a
complicated and large-scale mechanism, which would accordingly lead
to complication of the electrical control.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a feeding device which
utilizes, in combination, the merits of the above-described two
different types of construction with the merits and demerits
thereof being fully considered.
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide
a novel feeding device of the cassette position change-over type
which is not widely known.
The fundamental concept of the present invention is disclosed in
Applicant's Japanese Utility Model Application No. 120439/1969. It
is a second object of the present invention to provide a feeding
device in a copying machine or the like which permits three or more
cassettes to be loaded onto the machine at a time.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a feeding
device which permits loading of three or more cassettes at a time
and yet requires a minimum space therefor and in which change-over
means is of the simplest possible construction without being
one-sided to either of electrical control and mechanical
change-over mechanism.
It is a fourth object of the present invention to provide a lid for
cassettes which may protect copy mediums set in the cassettes
against direct exposure to the atmosphere and/or outside light when
the cassettes are still to be loaded onto a copying machine or the
like and even when the cassettes loaded onto the machine are
retracted with respect to the feeding section.
It is a fifth object of the present invention to provide a feeding
device which enables two or more cassettes to be used for the same
type of copy mediums.
It is a sixth object of the present invention to provide a feeding
device which may feed a selected type of copy mediums by a signal
from a cassette and a signal from designating means for designating
the selected type of copy mediums.
It is a seventh object of the present invention to provide a
feeding device in a copying machine or the like which permits
loading of two or more cassettes at a time and in which one of the
cassettes may comprise an auxiliary cassette for manual supply. The
number of the types of copy mediums which may be loaded onto the
feeding device at a time is of course the same as the number of the
cassettes which can be loaded onto the copying machine or the
like.
When it is desired to use a great variety of copy mediums, it is
therefore desirable that those types of copy mediums having the
highest frequency in use be pre-loaded onto the feeding device of
the copying machine or the like and the other types of copy mediums
be selected and loaded into cassettes each time they are used. For
this purpose, a cassette for manual supply will become necessary
which will readily permit a suitable quantity of copy mediums to be
set therein while remaining loaded on the copying machine and
without being removed therefrom each time.
Such an auxiliary cassette may often be utilized, when it is
desired to copy on both sides of a copy medium, to effect copying
on the other side of the copy medium already bearing a copy image
on one side thereof.
It is an eighth object of the present invention to provide a novel
construction for the above-described auxiliary cassette and a novel
combination of such auxiliary cassette and the feeding device.
The objects and other features of the present invention will become
fully apparent from the following detailed description of some
embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a prior art feeding device of the feed operation
selection type.
FIG. 2 shows a prior art feeding device of the cassette position
change-over type.
FIG. 3 is a pictorial, perspective view showing an embodiment of
the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the same embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a side view of the same embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the drive of
the feeding device.
FIGS. 7 and 8 show, in cross-section, cassette change-over
means.
FIGS. 9, 10(a), 10(b) and 11 illustrate the feeding mechanism.
FIG. 12 is a pictorial, perspective view of a cassette.
FIGS. 13 and 14 are cross-sectional views showing another
embodiment of the cassette.
FIGS. 15 and 16 are cross-sectional views of the feeding device
loaded with an auxiliary cassette.
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the auxiliary cassette.
FIGS. 18, 19, 20 and 21 are cross-sectional views showing various
forms of the auxiliary cassette.
FIG. 22 is a block diagram of the electric control circuit.
FIG. 23 is a circuit diagram of the electric control circuit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 3 and 4 are pictorial perspective view and a cross-sectional
view, respectively, of an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference will first be had to FIG. 4 to describe the operation of
the copying machine shown there. An image original 3 to be copied
is placed on an original carriage glass plate 2 forming the
original supporting surface on top of the machine housing. The
original is subjected to the slit exposure by an optical system
comprising an illumination lamp 6, a movable mirror 4 movable with
the lamp, a movable mirror 5 movable at half the velocity of and in
the same direction as the movable mirror 4, a lens 7 and stationary
mirrors 8 and 9, and the image of the original is thus formed on
the surface of a drum 1. The surface of the drum 1 is a
photosensitive medium formed of a photosensitive layer covered with
a transparent insulating layer and electrically charged with the
positive polarity by a positive charger 11 which is supplied with a
positive high tension current. Subsequently, the drum 1 reaches an
exposure section 12, where the photosensitive medium of the drum is
exposed to the original image while, at the same time, it is
subjected to AC discharge by an AC discharger 13 which is supplied
with a high tension alternating current.
In subsequence, the photosensitive medium is subjected to allover
exposure by an allover exposure lamp 14 to form an electrostatic
latent image on the drum surface (photosensitive medium),
whereafter the drum enters a developing device 15.
The electrostatic latent image is developed into a visible image by
the dust development technique of the sleeve type.
Then, the image on the drum 1 is transferred by an image transfer
charger 18 from the drum surface to a copy medium fed from a
feeding section 101 or 102.
After the image transfer has been completed, the transfer medium is
separated from the drum 1 at a separating section 19 and guided to
a fixing section 20, where the image on the transfer medium is
fixed, and thereafter the transfer medium has any excess charge
removed therefrom by a discharger 23 and discharged onto a tray 30
by discharge rollers 22. On the other hand, the drum surface
(photosensitive medium) is cleaned by a blade 21 urged thereagainst
to remove any residual toner from the drum surface so that the drum
may be ready for reuse in a subsequent cycle. The feeding device
which forms an essential point of the present invention will now be
described by reference to FIGS. 5 to 14 as well.
The copying machine, as shown in FIG. 4, includes two independent
feeding sections 101 and 102 which are each loaded with two
cassettes. In the figure, the upper feeding section 101 is loaded
with cassettes of B5 and A4 sizes and the lower feeding section 102
is loaded with cassettes of B4 and A3 sizes. These cassettes will
hereinafter be referred to as B5 cassette, A4 cassette and so
on.
Respective ones of the cassettes are substantially horizontally
disposed on cassette receivers 104, 105, 106 and 107 secured to a
cassette cradle 103. The cassette cradle 103 is rigidly formed by
stays 108, 109 and the like, and mounted for displacement with
respect to the machine body by two pairs of pivotable links 110 and
111. The links 111 are follower links pivotable about a
cantilevered shaft 114 secured to the frames 112 and 113 of the
machine body. The links 110 are rigidly coupled to a displaceable
shaft 115. This shaft 115 extends through the two frames and is
journalled thereto by means of bearings 116. Disposed above the
shaft 115 is a change-over (displacement) motor M, the movement of
which is transmitted through a reduction gear G to cause rotation
of a rotatable arm 117 which in turn is transmitted through a
connecting link 113 to swing a swinging arm 119, thus moving the
shaft 115. A cam 117.sub.1 is pivoted on the head of the rotatable
arm 117 to actuate microswitches MS1 and MS2 which may detect and
control the movement of such arm. In the position shown in FIGS. 5,
6 and 7, the rotatable arm 117 is stopped while actuating the
switch MS1 and the connecting link 118 is lifted upwardly with the
cassettes being in lowered position as indicated in FIG. 7. FIG. 8
shows a position in which change-over has been effected. In this
position, the rotatable arm 117 has made a half rotation to actuate
the switch MS2 while the connecting link 118 has been downwardly
forced to thereby pivot the links 110 clockwise (FIG. 8) and the
cassette cradle 103 has been lifted upwardly and leftwardly (FIG.
8) with all the cassettes supported thereon. In this manner,
displacement has been effected such that, for the upper feeding
section 101, the A4 cassette occupies the position which has so far
been occupied by the B5 cassette and, for the lower feeding section
102, the A3 cassette occupies the position which has so far been
occupied by the B4 cassette.
Copy medium feeding operation will now be described with respect to
the A4 cassette of FIG. 8 which is in its feeding operation and by
reference to FIGS. 6, 9, 10(a) and 10(b) and 12.
Disposed within a cassette housing 120 is an intermediate plate 121
serving as a support plate for copy mediums, and a leaf spring 122
is provided between the intermediate plate and the bottom of the
cassette housing to bias the intermediate plate upwardly from the
back side thereof. A supply stock of copy mediums 17 rests on the
intermediate plate and separator pawls 123.sub.1 and 123.sub.2 are
provided in the forward corners of the cassette housing
corresponding to the leading end corners of the supply stock. The
separator pawls 123.sub.1 and 123.sub.2 are pivotally connected to
side control plates 124.sub.1 and 124.sub.2, respectively, by means
of pivots 125.sub.1 and 125.sub.2 (of which the former is not
shown). The pawled portions are free to move vertically but the
upward movement thereof is limited by stops 126.sub.1 and 126.sub.2
provided on top of the side control plates. When no feeding
operation is taking place, the force of the leaf spring 122 is
limited through the intermediate plate 121, the supply stock of
copy mediums 17 and separator pawls 123.sub.1, 123.sub.2 and
finally by the stops 126.sub.1, 126.sub.2, whereby the level of the
supply stock in this position is determined. The top of the
cassette is covered with a lid 127 against exposure to the
atmosphere, except for the portion thereof which is acted on by
feed means (kick-out roller or the like). Upon entry of a kick-out
signal into the upper feeding section, a solenoid SL(U) brings a
control pawl 128 out of engagement with a fine pawl formed around a
control ring 129. Hooked on the control ring 129 is one end of a
clutch spring 133 which is wound over the barrel portions of both a
sprocket wheel 131 and a cam 132, the sprocket wheel 131 being
normally driven by a chain 130. These together constitute a spring
clutch.
Upon release of the control ring 129, the spring clutch is
connected to transmit the drive of the sprocket wheel 131 to the
cam 132. A cam follower 134 is urged against the periphery of the
cam 132 by a spring 135 and swingable with rotation of the cam 132.
This swinging movement is transmitted through a pipe 136 to cause
swinging movement of a kick-out arm 137, which in turn vertically
moves a kick-out roller 138.
The drive to the kick-out roller is transmitted via a shaft 139
extending through the pipe 136, a sprocket wheel 140, a chain 141,
a sprocket wheel 142 and a kick-out roller shaft 143 in the named
order, the kick-out roller being normally in rotation.
Upon lowering of the kick-out roller 138, the copy mediums in the
cassette are forced downwardly for some amount (order of 1 to 5 mm)
by this roller against the force of the leaf spring 122, as shown
in FIG. 8. When this occurs, the separator pawls 123.sub.1 and
123.sub.2 follow the lowering of the top surface of the copy medium
supply stock from gravity, so as to hold down the leading end
corners of the supply stock under a predetermined force from
gravity, irrespective of the quantity of the copy mediums. The
spring constant of the leaf spring 122 is determined with the
thickness and weight of the copy medium supply stock being taken
into account, and is designed such that the contact pressure
between the kick-out roller 138 and the copy mediums 17 is hardly
variable irrespective of the quantity of the copy mediums.
By these, it is ensured that copy mediums be separated and fed one
by one.
A sheet of copy medium fed from the cassette is nipped between
subsequent transport rollers 145 and the cam makes substantially a
complete rotation as shown in FIG. 10(b), whereupon the signal to
the solenoid SL(U) is cut off to permit the control panel 128 to
again restrain the control ring, thus disconnecting the clutch. At
this point, however, the cam follower 134 is about to descend from
the higher portion of the cam toward the valley portion as shown in
FIG. 11, so that the cam 132 is rotated by the force of the spring
135 to come to a halt at the most stable position as shown in FIG.
10(a), thus permitting a similar cycle to take place for a
subsequent feed signal. The copy medium so fed is further
transported through a guide and transport rollers, and then
transported keeping accurate timing with the image on the drum with
the aid of a timing roller 144 (FIG. 4). A clutch CL (FIG. 6) is
provided on the timing roller concentrically therewith. The present
invention further provides a sealing device for isolating the
unused copy mediums in the cassette from the atmosphere as far as
possible. Such sealing device is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In FIG. 7,
the B5 and B4 cassettes are in their feeding positions and their
forward ends are open to permit the kick-out roller to act thereon
as already described (in FIG. 12, etc.) The A4 and A3 cassettes are
retraced from their feeding positions. As shown, sealing lids 146
and 147 for sealing the open ends of the A4 and A3 cassettes are
provided at the forward ends of these two cassettes. Sealing
members 146.sub.1 and 147.sub.1 formed of flexible material such as
urethane foam or the like are adhesively secured to the portions of
the sealing lids which bear against the cassette openings, thus
completing the sealing. The sealing lids 146 and 147 are pivotally
mounted at their lower ends on the machine body and operatively
connected to respective arms 146.sub.2 and 147.sub.2 by a
connecting bar 148. A cam plate 149 is attached to the sealing lid
147 of the lower feeding section 102, and a pin 111.sub.1 secured
to the follower link 111 is received in the camming groove
149.sub.1 of the cam to orient the sealing lid in the position as
shown, thus accomplishing the sealing of the cassette.
In FIG. 8, the A4 and A3 cassettes are in their feeding positions
and the B5 and B4 cassettes are in their retracted positions. As
the A4 and A3 cassettes are displaced to their feeding positions,
the follower link 111 is rotated to thereby cause the pin 111.sub.1
secured thereto to be revolved about the pivot 114 and slide in the
camming groove 149.sub.1 to actuate the cam plate and accordingly
actuate the sealing lid 147 and its associated sealing lid 146,
whereby these sealing lids are opened so as not to interfere with
the displacement of the A3 and A4 cassettes, as shown. In the
retracted positions of the B5 and B4 cassettes, the sealing lids
150 and 151 secured to the machine body are waiting and when these
cassettes are oriented in their retracted positions, the sealing
lids 150 and 151 may accomplish sealing by slightly compressing the
sealing members 150.sub.1 and 151.sub.1 adhesively secured
thereto.
Reference will now be had to FIG. 11 to describe the feed control
circuit. A group of cassette selector switches are present on the
operating panel forming the top of the machine body (FIG. 3). For
example, if the A4 cassette is selected, a switch SW(A4) is closed
to energize a relay K(U) and at the same time, the change-over
motor M is energized through the contact of the switch MS2 to cause
the cam 117.sub.1 at the end of the rotatable arm 117 to actuate
the switch MS2 to open the contact thereof, thus deenergizing the
motor. By this, the connecting link 118 is forced downwardly to
displace the group of cassettes to the position shown in FIG. 8. A
feed signal is produced from a switch MS3 to energize the solenoid
SL(U) through the closed contact K(U)1 of the relay K(U), so that
the kick-out roller 138 is lowered to effect the feeding, as
already described. A switch MS4 produces a timing signal which
controls the timing clutch CL. The operation when other cassette is
selected may readily be seen from FIGS. 11 and so on.
FIGS. 13 and 14 show another embodiment of the cassette. In this
embodiment, a coil spring instead of a leaf spring is disposed
between the intermediate plate and the cassette housing. This shows
that just the same effect as described above may be obtained even
if the leaf spring as shown in FIG. 8 is not employed.
According to the present invention, as has hitherto been described,
two cassettes are provided for the same feed means and each of
these cassettes is displaceable to assume the same relative
position. Thus, the space occupied by the two cassettes in the
machine body is slightly greater than the space occupied by a
single cassette disposed, and this leads to an extremely compact
construction.
Also, the present invention employs the cassette position
change-over system in combination with the conventional feed
operation selection system and thus enables four different
cassettes to be selected in spite of the fact that there are only
two prescribed positions available for the cassettes (the lifted
and the lowered position). In addition, this fact that only two
prescribed positions are available for the cassettes leads to the
possibility that the change-over mechanism therefor may be simply
formed by only two pairs of links and a motor or the like for
moving them, which in turn leads to high reliability and low
manufacturing cost of such mechanism.
It will further be possible to load two or more cassettes with copy
mediums of the same size so that, after one of the cassettes has
been used up, feeding may be automatically effected from another
cassette.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, any of the
cassettes when retracted from the feeding position may be
automatically covered with a lid against exposure to the
atmosphere, thus minimizing the instability of feeding and the
unreliability of image transfer which is attributable to the
moisture absorption of copy mediums as is often the case with the
cassette type copying machine.
The invention has been described with respect to an embodiment
which employs, in combination, the feed operation selection system
and the cassette position change-over system to enable one of four
different cassettes to be selected, whereas the invention is not
restricted thereto. For example, the present invention also covers
an arrangement in which two cassettes are provided for a single
feed, guide and control means (the double cassette system of the
cassette position change-over type). It will also be apparent that
the invention covers an arrangement in which two cassettes are
provided for only one of two feed, guide and control means and
these two cassettes are of the cassette position change-over type
so that selection may be done from among three cassettes in
all.
Further, the present embodiment has been shown as being applied to
an image transfer type copying machine, whereas the invention is
not restricted thereto but equally applicable to the direct
electrophotographic copying machines and other various types of
copying machines and printing machines. In this context, these are
herein referred to as "copying machines or the like".
Also, the term "copy mediums" appearing herein refers to members
for bearing copy images thereon, including various types of copy
paper such as blank photosensitive paper for image transfer and
insulative paper, transparent paper, transparent film, etc.
The term "cassettes" used herein is not restricted to the
detachable box-shaped ones but includes those which are constructed
in the form of drawers for containing copy mediums therein.
Further, the cassettes used are not restricted to the shown B5, A4,
B4 and A3 cassettes but it will be apparent that cassettes
containing therein copy mediums of the same size but of different
qualities or copy mediums of different colors may be used in
combination.
FIGS. 15 to 17 show a further embodiment of the present invention.
The lower feeding section has a single cassette secured thereto and
the upper feeding section is designed to permit change-over of the
cassette position. In this embodiment, the two upper and lower
cassettes are the main cassettes and an auxiliary cassette is
additionally provided on the upper feeding section.
The auxiliary cassette will only be described because the cassette
position change-over operation is the same as that described in
connection with the previous embodiment (although, in this
embodiment, each of the main cassettes is in itself equipped with a
sealing lid 153 provided with a sealing member 154 and the sealing
lid is pivotable about the hinge portion 153.sub.1 thereof so as to
seal the cassette against exposure to the atmosphere when the
cassette is removed from the machine body). With the cassette
housing 155, an intermediate plate 156 serving as a copy medium
supporting plate is pivotally supported by a pivot 157 and biased
upwardly (counter-clockwisely in FIGS. 15 and 16) by a torsion
spring 158. Side control plates 159 and 160 for copy mediums are
attached to the intermediate plate. One of the side control plates,
159, is secured to the intermediate plate 156, while the other side
control plate 160 is guided by an underlying guide dowel 161 and a
guide slot 156.sub.1 in the intermediate plate and given a moderate
degree of friction by a leaf spring 162 so that it is adjustable in
accordance with the width of the copy medium. Separator pawls 163
and 164 are pivotally mounted on the side control plates 159 and
160 by means of pivots 160.sub.1 secured to the side control
plates. These separator pawls have bent portions 163.sub.1 and
164.sub.1 at the lower ends thereof which are adapted to fit in
holes 155.sub.1 and 155.sub.2 in the cassette housing to thereby
limit the vertical movement of the separator pawls. Provided on the
rear end of the cassette housing is an insertion table 165 which
assists in insertion of copy mediums and also provides a table for
supporting the rear half of copy medium if it is of a large size.
In FIG. 15, the auxiliary cassette is shown in its retracted
position. In such position, the intermediate plate has its upper
edge 156.sub.2 relatively forced down by a hold-down member 166
secured to the machine body. Separator pawls 163 and 164 are
lowered from gravity to such an extent that the lower ends thereof
contact the lower edges of holes 155.sub.1 and 155.sub.2 of the
cassette, but as shown in FIG. 15, the movement of the separator
pawls are so much limited that a sufficient spacing is provided
between the separator pawls and the intermediate plate to permit
insertion of copy medium 17 therethrough. In FIG. 16, the auxiliary
cassette is shown in its feeding position. The upward movement of
the intermediate plate imparted by the spring 158 is stopped by the
lower ends 163.sub.1 and 164.sub.1 of the separator pawls striking
against the upper edges of the cassette holes 155.sub.1 and
155.sub.2 with the supply stock of copy mediums 17 and the
separator pawls 163, 164 being interposed therebetween, whereby the
upper edge of the copy medium supply stock is oriented in position.
The feed operation of the present cassette is the same as that
described with respect to the A4 cassette of FIG. 8 and need not be
described. This auxiliary cassette may conveniently be used when
copying is to be effected on copy mediums of special qualities,
sizes or colors or when it is desired to effect copying on the
other side of copy medium already bearing a copy image on one side
thereof. Also, a special copy button for effecting copying only on
the copy mediums in the auxiliary cassette may be provided on the
operating panel so that, after the auxiliary cassette is loaded
with copy mediums, this button may be depressed to automatically
displace the auxiliary cassette to its feeding position to thereby
effect feeding of copy mediums. When the stock of copy mediums is
exhausted in the auxiliary cassette, the copying operation of the
machine will be stopped and the auxiliary cassette will restore its
retracted position. Such control may be provided by the special
copy button. This will be useful in further enhancing the feature
of the present auxiliary cassette.
In the embodiment now under discussion, the auxiliary cassette is
normally empty and may particularly effectively function when copy
mediums are manually supplied thereto. Also, it is of course
possible to provide such a control that the auxiliary cassette is
normally loaded with copy mediums of the type which is rarely
used.
FIG. 18 shows an example of the auxiliary cassette which may
normally be loaded with copy mediums of the rarely usable type and
which permits manual replenishment. This auxiliary cassette is
similar in construction and operation to that shown in FIG. 15,
with the exception that copy mediums may be contained in the
cassette housing 167 and may also manually supplied by inserting a
hand therein through the top surface thereof. This embodiment will
permit such a mode of utilization that copy mediums of the types
having the highest frequency in use are contained in the main
cassettes and copy mediums of the type which is occasionally used
are contained in the auxiliary cassette but copy mediums of the
other special types are manually supplied. This will further
enhance the effectiveness of the auxiliary cassette. Moreover, such
embodiment requires a smaller space and simpler contruction than
the first embodiment. Usually, in common offices, there are two
types of copy mediums having the highest frequency in use and a
type of copy medium which is only occasionally used, while there
are considerably many types of copy mediums which are rarely used.
In view of such situations, it may be said that the present
embodiment is greater in the effect/cost ratio than the first
embodiment. The auxiliary cassette should desirably be constructed
in a compact and thin form as much as possible, when viewed from
its role as auxiliary. Therefore, in the embodiment shown in FIGS.
15-17 and FIG. 18, the spring for upwardly biasing the intermediate
plate is disposed on the pivot of the intermediate plate. Different
spring arrangements are shown in FIGS. 19 to 21. The arrangement of
FIG. 19 has a spring 168 disposed below the bent portion of the
intermediate plate. In the arrangement of FIG. 20, an upwardly
forcing member 169 is disposed below the intermediate plate and one
end of such member is hooked on a projection 170 formed on the
bottom wall of the cassette housing while the other end of the
member is bent in an ear shape on which a spring 171 is hooked.
This arrangement permits the free length of the spring to be
increased and thus, permits the coil diameter of the spring to be
reduced, so that the arrangement is suitable for accommodating the
spring in an elongated space as shown. In FIG. 21, part of the
intermediate plate is constructed in the same form as the upwardly
forcing member 169 of FIG. 20. In this arrangement, the
intermediate plate to be upwardly raised may be small and
accordingly, only a small portion of copy mediums will have to be
upwardly raised, so that the spring may be smaller in size than
that shown in FIG. 20. In the arrangement of FIG. 21, separator
pawls are shown to be attached to an insertion table 173, whereas
it may also be attached to the movable intermediate plate 174 as in
the previous arrangements. These spring arrangements are of course
applicable to the auxiliary cassette shown in FIG. 18, as well as
to the main cassettes.
Description will now be made of an embodiment of the electric
control circuit according to the present invention. The electric
control circuit may generally be divided into those blocks which
are shown in FIG. 22. First, a detection signal generating station
401 comprises a group of devices for generating various necessary
detection signals for controlling the copying process, including a
photosensitive drum position detector 411, an optical system
position detector 412, paper detectors 413, cassette detectors 414,
and other unshown devices for detecting the quantity and
concentration of developer and temperatures of various portions.
The drum position detector 411 generates, in accordance with
various rotational positions of the photosensitive drum 1,
necessary signals for the drum synchronization type control circuit
of the copying machine, such as a signal representing the arrival
of the photosensitive drum at its end-of-rotation position, a
timing signal for starting the advance of the optical system during
the exposure stroke, and a timing signal for detecting any jam.
Nevertheless, the present invention is not restricted to such drum
synchronization type control circuit. The optical system position
detector 412 generates a signal representing the advance-starting
position (home position) of the optical system to be moved during
the exposure stroke, signals representing various turn-back
positions corresponding to the various copy sizes, and a position
detection signal which provides a copy medium feed timing signal to
be described. The paper detectors 413 are provided at necessary
points for monitoring the normal transport of the copy medium and,
upon occurrence of jam, detect the jam with the aid of the signal
from the photosensitive drum position detector 411. The cassette
detectors 414 are provided at the points whereat various cassettes
are mounted and detect the presence of the cassettes at those
points or the presence of copy mediums in the cassettes to put out
various signals as the condition signals to the feed control
circuit. This will further be described hereinafter.
The detection signal generating station 401, as already mentioned,
includes further devices but these are not directly related to the
present invention and need not be described.
An operating panel 402 includes a copy button device 415 and other
unshown devices such as copy number set dial, copy stop button,
etc., all of which are the devices for generating signals as
determined by the operator as in the conventional copying machine.
The operating panel further includes a copy size selecting button
device 416 which will further be described.
A sequence control station 403 generates drive instruction signals
to various terminal elements to execute the above-mentioned copying
process in accordance with the signals from the detection signal
generating station 401 and the operating panel 402, and in addition
to the sequence controls, it performs the functions of detecting
jam, generating various indication instruction signals, etc.
In the present embodiment, the control circuit is constructed
chiefly by the use of digital IC forming a binary logic circuit,
and may functionally be divided into a main drive motor control
section for driving the photosensitive drum, an optical system
movement (forward, backward, stoppage) control section, various
illumination elements, a heater element control section, a high
voltage source control section, a jam discriminating and treating
section, and a feed control circuit portion 417, but this control
circuit is substantially similar to that in the conventional
copying machine excepting for the feed control circuit portion 417.
The various terminal elements 404 include a high voltage source, a
main drive motor, illuminators for image original, heaters for
fixation, cassette change-over and drive motor, and electrical
terminal elements such as electromagnetic clutch, plunger and
counter, etc. These elements are electrically energized in
accordance with the drive instruction signals from the sequence
control station 403 to perform their respective functions.
Indicators 405 effect various indications required for the
convenience to the operator, such as copy number indication during
continuous copying, jamming indication, developer and copy medium
supply indications, etc., chiefly in accordance with the indication
instruction signals from the sequence control 403. A power source
station 406 includes a main switch, circuit breaker, door switch,
power source transformer and voltage stabilizing circuit section,
and supplies a necessary alternating or direct current to the
aforementioned various stations.
The copying process may be controlled by the contruction generally
described above. Reference will now be had to FIG. 23 to describe
the electrical control for the feed operation which is a feature of
the present invention. In FIG. 23, copy size selector button
devices 416 include B5 size selector button device 421, A4 size
selector button device 422, B4 size selector button device 423 and
A3 size selector button device 424, and these button devices in
turn include respective copy size selector buttons shown at 152 in
FIG. 3.
When the B5 size button is depressed, the B5 size selector button
device 421 puts out a signal for logic "1" (hereinafter simply
referred to as "1" as opposed to logic "0" which will also be
simply referred to as "0") through some specific means which need
not be described herein. Likewise, when the other button A4, B4 or
A3 is depressed, the A4, B4 or A3 size selector button device 422,
423 or 424 puts out "1" which is applied to the feed control
circuit section 417. The cassette detector device 414 includes not
only the B5 cassette detector 431 but also A4, B4 and A3 cassette
detectors 432, 433 and 434. These four cassette detectors are
installed for the four cassettes shown in FIG. 4, namely, the
first, second, third and fourth cassettes from top to bottom, to
detect the presence of the respective cassettes and of copy mediums
therein. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, in the upper
feeding section, the B5 cassette detector may be formed by
including an ultrasonic wave transmitter 441 secured to the machine
body and an ultrasonic wave receiver 442 secured to the upper
cassette cradle and disposed so as to interrupt the ultrasonic wave
transmitted from the transmitter 441 only when the uppermost or B5
cassette is in the upper feeding position with copy mediums present
therein.
That is, when the B5 cassette is mounted in the feeding section but
no ultrasonic wave is received by the ultrasonic wave receiver 442,
there are copy mediums in the cassette and a predetermined copy
cycle may be carried on. However, description will hereinafter be
made with the understanding that "1" is then put out from the B5
cassette detector 431. Likewise, for the second uppermost or A4
cassette, an ultrasonic wave transmitter 443 is installed as is the
transmitter 442 for the B5 cassette detector 431, and when the A4
cassette is mounted in the upper feeding section with copy mediums
present therein, "1" is put out from the A4 cassette detector 432.
Again in the lower feeding section, an ultrasonic wave transmitter
444 similar to the transmitter 441 in the upper feeding section is
installed and for the third and fourth or B4 and A3 cassettes,
ultrasonic wave transmitters 445 and 446 are respectively secured
to the cassette cradle as is the case with the B5 and A4 cassettes.
The B4 and A3 cassette detectors 433 and 434 including respective
receivers put out "1" when the respective cassettes are set in the
feeding positions with copy mediums present therein. The cassette
detector device 414 further includes B-size set detector 435 and
A-size set detector 436 which indicate the setting of B5, B4
cassettes and A4, A3 cassettes upon depression of the
aforementioned microswitches MS1 and MS2 and which put out "1" in
the respective cases. The six different signals put out from this
cassette detector device 414 are also applied to the feed control
circuit 417.
In the feed control circuit 417, the outputs from the B5 size
selector button device 421 and the B5 set detector 431 are first
applied to the input terminals of two-input AND gate 451 and the
outputs from the gate 451 and the B-size set detector 435 are
applied to the input terminals of two-input AND gate 455. The
operation of the AND gate in the digital IC is such that it puts
out "0" whenever "0" is applied to any one of its plural input
terminals and that it puts out "1" only when "1" is applied to all
of its input terminals. Thus, the output of the gate 455 is "1"
when the B5 copy size selector button is depressed and B-size
cassettes are set in the feeding section with copy mediums present
therein.
In the case of A4, B4 and A3 sizes, when the conditions such as
depression of the respective size selector buttons, setting of the
corresponding cassettes to the feeding section and the presence of
copy mediums in these cassettes are all fulfilled, the outputs of
the two-input AND gates 456, 457 and 458 assume "1" in accordance
with the respective sizes. Further, the outputs of the gates 455
and 456 are applied to the input terminals of two-input OR gate
459, the output of which is in turn applied to one of the input
terminals of three-input AND gate 461. The operation of this OR
gate is such that it puts out "1" whenever "1" is applied to any
one of its plural input terminals and that it puts out "0" only
when "0" is applied to all of its input terminals and therefore,
the output of the gate 459 is "1" when the B5 or the A4 size is
selected and the output of the gate 455 or 456 is "1". To the other
two input terminals of the three-input AND gate are applied two
signals, that is, the signal which provides the feed timing for
copy medium is applied as "1" from the aforementioned optical
system position detector 412 and the optical system forward
instruction signal OFC generated in the sequence control 403 is
applied as "1" from the terminal 485. Thus, the output of the gate
461 is "1" when the output of the gate 459 is "1" and the forwardly
moving optical system has reached the feed timing position, and
this signal "1" is further applied to a driver circuit 481 to
thereby energize the aforementioned solenoid (plunger) SL(U) 418,
whereupon copy mediums begin to be fed from the B5 or the A4
cassette. Likewise, in the case of B4 and A3, the solenoid SL(L) is
energized through two-input OR gate 460, three-input AND gate 462
and driver circuit 482 so that copy mediums begin to be fed in
accordance with the desired size.
Also, the outputs of the two-input AND gates 451, 452, 453 and 454
are applied to the respective input terminals of four-input OR gate
463, whereby the output of this gate 463 is "0" when all the four
inputs are "0". This indicates that there is no copy medium present
in the cassette of the copy size selected by the operator
depressing a size selector button, and in this case, the output of
the gate 463 is inverted to "" through an inverter 464, and may
further be passed through a driver circuit 483 to cause a copy
medium supply indicator 488 in the indicator section 405 to
indicate the need for supply of copy mediums. Subsequently, signals
from the A4 and A3 copy size selector button devices 422 and 424
are applied to the respective input terminals of two-input OR gate
465, whereby the output of this gate 465 is "1" when the A-size
copy is selected. Also, signals from the B5 and A4 copy size
selector button devices 421 and 423 are applied to the respective
input terminals of two-input OR gate 467, whereby the output of
this gate 467 is "1" during the B-size copy. Further, the output of
the gate 465 and the signal from the A-size cassette set detector
436 are applied to the respective input terminals of two-input AND
gate 468 while the output of the gate 467 and the output of the
B-size cassette set detector 435 are applied to the respective
input terminals of two-input AND gate 469 and moreover, the outputs
of the gates 468 and 469 are in turn applied to the respective
input terminals of two-input OR gate 470, so that the output of the
gate 470 is "0" when the copy size selected by the copy size
selector button device 416 is not coincident with the size of the
actually set cassette.
The output of the gate 470 is inverted through an inverter 471,
whereupon the output of this inverter assumes "1" and is put out as
cassette displace instruction signal, which is applied through a
driver 484 to energize the cassette driving motor M 489. When the
selected copy size has become coincident with the cassette size and
the output of the gate 470 has become "1", namely, the output of
the inverter has become "0", the motor is deenergized to complete
the setting of the cassette.
The feed control circuit 416 has been described, and an entirely
similar control circuit is equally applicable even if one of the
cassettes is of the manual supply type as already described in
connection with an embodiment of the cassette loading system. That
is, in the description already made with B5, A4, B4 and A3
cassettes as an example, these sizes of cassettes are not
restrictive.
* * * * *